Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel kicks off their 2023 harness racing season Sunday (April 16), with familiar names returning for the 30-day meeting and a new-look wagering menu and handicapping resources in place for horseplayers.
Journeyman driver John MacDonald has returned to Oak Grove to defend his 2022 championship, and he is listed to drive 13 horses on the first two cards — five on Sunday, eight on Monday. Also returning from last season's Top 10 are Kevin Wallis, Tyler Shehan, Joey Putnam and Randy Crisler. On the training front, 2022 Oak Grove training champion Timothy Wilson Jr. has entered three horses on the Opening Day program while Top Five returnees Jack Rice, David Brooks and Wayne Oke also have multiple entrants.
Sunday's program is headlined by a $24,000 Open Trot, carded as the fifth of 10 races and featuring Golden Wall As making his four-year-old debut against eight rivals. The son of Walner finished fifth to King Of The North in last year's Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt and Gelding Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park and won four of his 17 starts for trainer Anette Lorentzon. Tony Hall will drive the Golden Wall As, who was installed the 7-2 second choice on the morning line, from post seven in the overflow field. To his outside is 3-1 early choice Its A Herbie, the richest contender in the field with $566,037 in earnings. The seven-year-old Here Comes Herbie gelding won three of 14 races last year, competing mainly in Open events at Harrah's Hoosier Park. Owner-trainer Verlin Yoder will drive the 20-time winner.
The Sunday program also features two $20,000 events for four-year-olds eligible to the rich Kentucky stakes program, carded as races one and seven.
Every race card at Oak Grove will offer a cavalcade of carryover possibilities: a pair 50-cent Pick-5s, beginning in races one and six; two $1 Pick-4s, beginning in races three and seven; and a 50-cent Super Hi-5, in race five. The Pick-5s offer a low 15 per cent takeout, and all wagering pools offer penny breakage, returning more money to bettors' pockets compared to conventional dime breakage. In addition, detailed handicapping insight from analyst Ray Cotolo will be presented daily on the Oak Grove racing broadcast, as well as on the Oak Grove website prior to each card in conjunction with detailed trip notes for all races.
Oak Grove will host live racing every Sunday and Monday from April 16 through May 21 before expanding to a Sunday-Monday-Tuesday schedule from May 28 through the July 4 season finale. Daily first post is 3 p.m. CDT (4 p.m. EDT).
(Oak Grove)